Powering Assembly and Method For Adjustable Shelving

Abstract

A system, assembly and method for providing power to individual shelves of adjustable shelving wherein such powering, in one or more embodiments, does not require the use of exposed wiring, is adaptable and usable with existing adjustable shelving without considerable changes in the shelving hardware, and/or enables the powering to be provided in an automated basis wherein such does not rely on the mechanical or structural shelf mounting assemblies or components for transmitting power to each shelf, and therefore can be utilized with any current or future shelf mounting system and each shelf receives the per-shelf powering to power any form of shelf related power loads.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An assembly for providing power to a shelf within an adjustable shelf assembly, the adjustable shelf assembly having a shelf supporting bracket selectively coupleable with a shelf bracket mounting fixture to mount the shelf to a shelf mounting body of the adjustable shelf assembly at one of a plurality of vertical positions, the assembly comprising:
 a power track having an elongated body with a mounting side for mounting to a surface of the shelf mounting body, and an exposed side on an opposing side of the body from the mounting side, the power track having two elongated power rails positioned on the exposed side and about a substantial length of the elongated body, and a rail isolator positioned between the two power rails electrically isolating a first of the two power rails from a second of the two power rails, the power track having a power receiving interface receiving power energy from a power source and providing a portion of the received power energy to the two power rails; and   a shelf power coupler having a housing body, a power track connection interface and a shelf power feed interface, the power track connection interface having a first connector electrically contacting the first power rail of the power track and a second connector electrically contacting the second power rail, the first and second connectors being elastic for making first and second power connections to the first and second power rails respectively each having a biasing pressure thereto, the shelf power feed interface providing the power energy received from the first and second connectors to a shelf-based power load, the shelf power coupler having a shelf mounting fixture for mounting the shelf power coupler proximate to a rear edge of the shelf at a position that is aligned with the power track mounted to the shelf mounting body when the shelf is mounted onto the shelf supporting bracket that is coupled to the shelf bracket mounting fixture on the shelf mounting body.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the first and second connectors are collapsible pins, the collapsible pins providing the biasing pressure against the first and second power rails, respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the first and second power rails are positioned on the exposed side of the power track with each being laterally positioned on the exposed side and being exposed laterally, and wherein the isolator is laterally positioned therebetween, and the first and second power rails are connectable to the first and second connectors via longitudinal positioning of the connectors relative to the laterally positioned rails. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the first and second power rails are positioned on the exposed side of the power track and each is positioned in a longitudinal positioned with the isolator positioned therebetween, and wherein each power rail is not exposed from an longitudinal position and wherein the first and second connectors of the shelf power coupler are positioned in a lateral direction for connecting laterally with the longitudinally positioned power rails. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the power coupler is adapted for mounting at a plurality of selectable positions along the rear edge of the shelf. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the power coupler is adapted for mounting to a lower surface of the shelf proximate to the rear edge of the shelf. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the shelf power coupler shelf power feed interface provides power to a power load selected from the group consisting of lights, LED lights, lighting strips, spot lights, fans, audio media players, video media players, sensors, and security devices. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the power track is separate from and therefore not associated with the shelf mounting bracket mounting fixture. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the shelf mounting fixture includes a structural mounting assembly selected from the group consisting of holes with shelf rests or snap clips with mounting pins for insertion into the holes, mounting track with slots and brackets with hooks for engaging the slots, and a slat wall having slats and brackets for mounting to the slats of the slatwall. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 1  where the power supply is selected from the group consisting of AC power and DC power including low voltage DC power. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the shelf power coupler has a shelf mounting fixture that is integrated into a body of the shelf. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the shelf mounting fixture of the shelf power coupler includes an adjustment for positioning the shelf power coupler in one of a plurality of different longitudinal positions relative to the rear edge of the shelf and adjustable for adjusting the distance from the shelf power coupler to the power track mounted on the shelf mounting body. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the power track includes a data interface and a third elongated data rail that is coupled to the data interface and that is electrically isolated from the two power rails, the data rail being positioned on the exposed side and about a substantial length of the elongated body and communicating data as received by the data interface; the shelf power coupler including a data connector positioned on the housing body and contacting the data rail of the data track for communicating with the data rail, the shelf power coupler also including a coupler data interface for communicating data with a coupled data component associated with the shelf on which the power coupler is associated. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the power track has a polarity fixture differentiating the first power rail from the second power rail and interoperable with the shelf power coupler for selective establishing the first power connection only between the first connector and the first power rail and the second power connections only between the second connector and the second power rail. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 15  wherein the polarity fixture includes a protrusion on only one of the first and second power rails, and wherein only one of the first and second connectors of the shelf power coupler has a mating slot accepting the power track protrusion. 
     
     
         16 . A method for providing power to a shelf within an adjustable shelf assembly, the adjustable shelf assembly having a shelf supporting bracket selectively coupleable with a shelf bracket mounting fixture to mount to a shelf mounting body of the adjustable shelf assembly in one of a plurality of vertical positions, the method comprising:
 attaching the shelf bracket to the shelf bracket mounting fixture;   mounting a power track to the shelf mounting body, the power track having an elongated body with a mounting side for mounting to a surface of the shelf mounting body, and an exposed side on an opposing side of the body from the mounting surface, the power track having two elongated power rails positioned on the exposed side and about a substantial length of the elongated body, and a rail isolator positioned between the two power rails electrically isolating a first of the two power rails from a second of the two power rails, the power track having a power receiving interface receiving power energy from a power source and providing a portion of the received power energy the two power rails;   coupling power energy to the power receiving interface of the power track for providing power energy to the first and second power rails of the power track;   aligning a shelf power coupler with the mounted power track, the shelf power coupler having a housing body, a power track connection interface and a shelf power feed interface, the power track connection interface including a first connector and a second connector each of which is elastic for making first and second power connections under a biasing pressure;   placing the shelf with the mounted shelf power coupler on the attached shelf bracket;   making a first connection between the first connector and the first power rail and a second connection between the second connector and the second power rail;   applying a biasing pressure to the shelf in the direction of the shelf mounting body and the power track and to the first and second connectors against the first and second power rails, respectively; and   selectively stabilizing the shelf to the shelf mounting bracket retaining the shelf in the biased pressure position.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising mounting the shelf power coupler proximate to a rear edge of the shelf at one of a plurality lateral positions, whereby the mounted position of the shelf power coupler is selected to align the first connector with the first power rail and the second connector with the second power rail during placing of the shelf on the attached shelf bracket. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the first and second connectors are collapsible pins and wherein applying the biasing pressure do the shelf includes collapsing the collapsible pins in a biased position against the power rails. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising electrically coupling a power load associated with the shelf to the shelf power feed interface of the shelf power coupler, wherein power load is selected from the group selected from lights, LED lights, lighting strips, spot lights, fans, audio media players, video media players, sensors, and security devices. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein attaching the shelf bracket to the shelf bracket mounting fixture includes mounting a structural mounting assembly selected from the group consisting of holes with shelf rests or snap clips with mounting pins for insertion into the holes, mounting track with slots and brackets with hooks for engaging the slots, and a slat wall having slats and brackets for mounting to the slats of the slatwall.